CUDA based shadow volume algorithm for subdivision surfaces

Abstract

A new GPU based shadow volume generation algorithm based on CUDA structure was proposed for fast generation and real-time rendering of shadow of subdivision surfaces in computer games and virtual reality applications.The algorithm introduces CUDA-based surface subdivision algorithm.Generation of surface subdivisions can run faster by using shared memory structure.CUDA-based shadow volume algorithm was introduced to generate the shadow silhouette line and extrude the shadow volume.CUDA-based stream reduction algorithm was introduced to reduce the shadow volume array.An optimized interoperation between CUDA and OPENGL was introduced to simplify the rendering step of the algorithm from three steps to two steps.Implemented on a standard PC with CUDA hardware,experiments show that the algorithm can generate the shadow volume of more complex subdivision surfaces compared with former GPU-based ones.The algorithm needs smaller video memory for the shadow volume array to less than 2%,and the rendering performance can gain acceleration up to more than four times.